Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (Full Version)

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LittleGirlHeart -> Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 7:19:40 PM)

I talked to my dr and she said there wasn't an she said heart burn is primarily cause of heart burn is diet and lack of exercise, and caused by over eating, and I told her, ok, yeah it could be, but I do not eat and I am still getting serious heart burn, and she kept insisting it was from over eating and I do not over eat much. I do someties sure, but a lot of times it's a small normal portion and I have heart burn minutes after.

She said the only test they could do was put a camera down my throat an check out my stomach, and to do that I had to be taking my heart burn pills every day, for 2 months and still get heart burn , and have tried to loose weight before they will try to figure out why.

I am on board with diet and exercise changes, do not mistake me, but I think there should be some kind of test in the interim to find out what if anything is going on

It's the same thing with why I can not breathe very well because a year or two ago I developed chronic blockage, and her only comment was well take Flonase, and maybe after 2 months of Flonase if you still can not breath then and only then will we order tests to find out why you can't breathe. The take a pill and we'll see if fine, if there truly is no test or way to find out what's going on, but if there is a way to find out, damnit, I want to find out. I do not want to continue to put a bandage on an look the other way.



poise -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 7:25:26 PM)

Sure, there are tests other than the endoscopy.



tazzygirl -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 7:25:48 PM)

http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/features/treatment-tips-severe-chronic-heartburn

http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/guide/understanding-heartburn-basics

http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/guide/diagnosing-acid-reflux-disease

I suggest some reading. There arent too many tests to diagnose your condition.



littlewonder -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 7:30:36 PM)

Sorry, your doctor is right. I suffer from severe heartburn. I had to have an endoscopy done. While they didn't find any problems, I have had to cut out a lot of stuff out of my diet. If it has tomatoes, any kind of spice, is acidic or rich, I basically cannot eat it without suffering from god awful heartburn. I am on Nexium which worked for a few months but even now the Nexium is starting to wear off.

At this point there is nothing more the docs can do for me since they can't find anything else wrong.

But your doc is right...until you lose weight, they really can't help you. The weight lying upon your esophagus and stomach is going to cause you problems.



LittleGirlHeart -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 7:31:02 PM)

tizzy, they can't like try to find out if I have over active what ever it is that produces the bile and the acid for your stomache to digest the food, or if something isn't working as it should? Because I do know there are some cases where something in their body is being over active, and they need a pill to control it, and that's fine, i'd live with that. But this whole well you just need to take a pill an hope it goes away, no.



pgashlie -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 7:34:30 PM)

Had you considered another, possibly more attentive, doctor?

And why are you so opposed to an endoscopy? It's a very simple process, performed under "twilight" anesthesia, usually at an ambulatory clinic.
I'm up to 3 now,without even a sore throat...



LittleGirlHeart -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 7:36:11 PM)

I'm not. She said the guy who does it won't do it until I have been on heart burn meds for 2 months and still get heart burn.

She's normally very attentive, I usually love her, but on this and the can't breathe issue I am frusterated.
quote:

ORIGINAL: pgashlie

Had you considered another, possibly more attentive, doctor?

And why are you so opposed to an endoscopy? It's a very simple process, performed under "twilight" anesthesia, usually at an ambulatory clinic.
I'm up to 3 now,without even a sore throat...




Aswad -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 7:52:56 PM)

If it only happens after eating, and is localized in the same area each time, then some sort of herniation or invagination of the lower portion of the esophagus isn't implausible. The links look good, though, so check those out. If alginate offers any relief, it's probably a decent stopgap while waiting for the docs to give the go-ahead for a scope down there. Read the insert.

IWYW,
— Aswad.



LittleGirlHeart -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:02:04 PM)

Nope, it's happening even if I do not eat.irregardless of the food, even if it's not a typical heart burn inducing food, eat, don't eat, It is in the same place all the time though.
quote:

ORIGINAL: Aswad

If it only happens after eating, and is localized in the same area each time, then some sort of herniation or invagination of the lower portion of the esophagus isn't implausible. The links look good, though, so check those out. If alginate offers any relief, it's probably a decent stopgap while waiting for the docs to give the go-ahead for a scope down there. Read the insert.

IWYW,
— Aswad.





littlewonder -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:04:15 PM)

You do realize it most likely isn't whether you eat or what you eat or not but the pressure being placed on your stomach from your weight.



LittleGirlHeart -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:08:08 PM)

That could be, but I do not think it is un reasonable to try to investigate the issue. Along with working on the weight,
quote:

ORIGINAL: littlewonder

You do realize it most likely isn't whether you eat or what you eat or not but the pressure being placed on your stomach from your weight.




tazzygirl -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:16:48 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: LittleGirlHeart

tizzy, they can't like try to find out if I have over active what ever it is that produces the bile and the acid for your stomache to digest the food, or if something isn't working as it should? Because I do know there are some cases where something in their body is being over active, and they need a pill to control it, and that's fine, i'd live with that. But this whole well you just need to take a pill an hope it goes away, no.


They will always start with diet, meds and exercise, since, unfortunately for you, those are the most frequent causes. And most insurance companies wont pay for the more expensive tests until other measures are tried.

Im sure she suggested elevating the head of the bed, stopping eating by at least 2 hours before bed or napping. If you have a recliner, try sleeping in that for a night or two to see if it helps. I am sure you arent getting a whole lot of sleep at this point.

I would also do a food journal. See if there isnt a pattern between what you are eating and the times it gets really bad.



LittleGirlHeart -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:33:11 PM)

Well it's like how I had been in serious pain for a long long time, and it was so bad I was falling down, and I couldn't walk or lift my leg, they had kept telling me it was all in my head, it was due to my weight, I was fine, loose weight everything will get better. And yes, I know loosing weight will help, but it turns out it was not all in my head like they were trying to say, I have a legit issue going on.

they only did an MRI because I had started crappin myself and they were not sure if it was because a med I was on or a serious medical issue, so they finally did an MRI , and it turns out I had a slipped disk that was bulging out and pushing on a nerve.

\



tazzygirl -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:36:00 PM)

Are you seeing a primary care physician for this issue or a specialist? If your PCP, find out if you can get a second opinion from a specialist.



Rule -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:36:15 PM)

Live on plain yoghurt only for a week. See if that makes a difference. Please mail me the result.



LittleGirlHeart -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:46:10 PM)

general practisioner.



tazzygirl -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 8:49:13 PM)

Check with your insurance company on their policies for second opinions, then insist you see a specialist.... gastroenterologist preferably.



HoldinOn -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 9:08:09 PM)

Sweetie, I don't say this to be mean, but hopefully as a wake up call. You are morbidly obese. You do not get to that weight by eating normal amounts of food. Yes, you may feel heart burn after only a small amount of food, but you have to consider the stress you have put on your body by a constant pattern of over eating. Your body is still processing a huge excess of stored calories.

I have struggled with my weight my whole life, and am currently working to get back to a healthy body fat percentage. I have no issues with exercising, I feel so much better about myself and my physical capabilities when I do. But weight loss is much less about what you burn than what you consume. It is something I struggle with on a daily basis - what to eat and how much to eat.

Work this out, work your weight out, and your heartburn will most likely become a non issue.



LittleGirlHeart -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 10:50:03 PM)

Oh, I know I over eat, I am under no delusion of that. In fact when I first started having weight issues I was eating 6 plates of food every day, trying to keep the other girls in the group home from getting in trouble for not eating their meal.


But, for the majority of the time, I do not over eat, some days I don't eat at all, but when I do eat it's almost all junk, or totally junk or it's healthy food but not in the way it's being paired, like 3 starches and no protein, and I do not do any exercise. So for her to insist I over eat all the time was annoying, because she's fully aware that for large stretches of time I don't eat a bite of food, and I am not exaggerating.
quote:

ORIGINAL: HoldinOn

Sweetie, I don't say this to be mean, but hopefully as a wake up call. You are morbidly obese. You do not get to that weight by eating normal amounts of food. Yes, you may feel heart burn after only a small amount of food, but you have to consider the stress you have put on your body by a constant pattern of over eating. Your body is still processing a huge excess of stored calories.

I have struggled with my weight my whole life, and am currently working to get back to a healthy body fat percentage. I have no issues with exercising, I feel so much better about myself and my physical capabilities when I do. But weight loss is much less about what you burn than what you consume. It is something I struggle with on a daily basis - what to eat and how much to eat.

Work this out, work your weight out, and your heartburn will most likely become a non issue.




Termyn8or -> RE: Are there tests other than an endoscopy to determin why you have chronic severe heart burn? (6/24/2013 11:23:45 PM)

Next time you get an attack of heartburn, take one tablespoon of pure apple cider vinegar and nothing else. Wait about fifteen minutes and see what happens. I used to get hearburn all the time and my Father told me to do that. It worked for me and it worked long term. I get heartburn every once in a while and it always works. Depending on how bad you get it, you might want to sit down. Make damn sure you do not throw up, in fact it is probably better on an empty or near empty stomach, specifically NOT right after eating.

Some cases of heartburn are simply because of excessive production of stomach acid. That indicates that your body thinks it does not have enough stomach acid. Now of course vinegar is acidic, but nowhere near what stomach acid is. Stomach acid will eat almost anything, like stainless steel. The strongest vinegar is nothing beside that level of acidity. However I think the flow of it down the tubes along with the flavor makes the stomach slow down acid production.

Of course if you are overweight the pressure can push the acid up, but plenty of overweight people do not get heartburn, so don't look at that as a sole cause. It may exaserbate the situation, but the cause is still excessive acid. (and/or a loose esophagus)

I think part of the reason I get it so rarely now is that I regularly use Louisiana style hot sauce which has a high vinegar content.

I was really quite surprised that this old Husband's remedy worked, but it did. It makes sense. That's why milk won't work even though it is alkaline. It makes the stomach think it needs even more acid !

It's kinda like if you retain water you should not necessarily drink less liquid, it my make your body retain more. It is an imbalance and whatever causes it will vary person to person. Just try the vinegar once. Give it a chance, like I said do not wash it down with anything or eat anything with it.

T^T



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